Upcoming Seminar: “Exploring Variation in the Use and Duration of Observation Care.”

Brad Wright, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Public Policy Center; Assistant Professor, Department of Health Management and Policy, College of Public Health, University of Iowa

“Exploring Variation in the Use and Duration of Observation Care.”

Friday, December 2

Clinical and Translational Research Building
Room 2161, 9-10 a.m.

When Medicare patients present at the emergency department they are increasingly likely to be placed in observation status. This allows physicians more time for the evaluation and management of patients before making a decision regarding inpatient admission or discharge. While proponents of observation care cite its ability to reduce costs and improve outcomes, critics suggest that observation merely shifts the financial burden onto patients and is being abused by providers to avoid financial penalties associated with the Medicare program. Moreover, there is tremendous variation in the use of observation care across the country and from hospital to hospital. In this talk, Dr. Wright will discuss what observation care is, how and why its use has increased, what factors are associated with variation in the use and duration of observation stays across hospitals nationwide, and what else we need to know to best inform policy and practice.

Read more on upcoming seminars from the Department of Health Outcomes & Policy here.